When my creative juices start to wane, I know that it is time for a short sabbatical so I can renew and refresh. I have reached that point but this time of the year there is no such thing as a break. There is always something going on to cover.
Sometimes I really enjoy it because I get to see people I don’t see regularly. But there are other times I really just want to sit in my office and write the day away without having to go here and there. Maybe it has something to do with a change in weather or something.
I have gotten back into the gym after a brief hiatus following a night in the emergency room. I still have a few issues from time to time but am getting better every day. Making yourself get up early and work out at the gym takes more motivation than I have some days. I keep reminding myself it is for my betterment and so I will remain healthier for the kids and everything else I have to do. After all, our bodies are the temple of God.
For me, having an accountability partner makes it easier for me. When someone is depending on me, I always rise to the occasion. So having a friend work out with me makes me more accountable about the gym. I have to get up, get dressed and drive a few miles. Since I know she will be there, I don’t hesitate and though she usually beats me there by a minute or two, I faithfully arrive.
I have been pretty good this year about working out and was walking regularly until the weather changed. I don’t do well in the cooler weather. And after my walking buddy decided she couldn’t get up as early as I needed to for a walk, Roxie, our fur-baby, became my walking partner. I haven’t gotten back into that habit yet and probably won’t until the spring; at least not outside.
It’s easy to slip into the mode of not exercising but it should be a priority for us all. It helps keep us more flexible and I firmly believe that if you keep moving, it will help you move better as you age. Some studies even suggest you can live longer from regular exercise. I know that it also gives me a little more energy some days.
Exercise can help with some health problems and boosts your mood. So far, thanks to my thyroid problem, I haven’t really lost any weight but can tell I have firmed up and am maintaining. I really am waiting for it to help me sleep better as sleep is an elusive thing for me on a regular basis. Not that I don’t fall asleep but staying asleep is something I rarely experience.
I am really hoping that getting regular exercise will boost my brain, at least in the memory department. Lately it seems my memory is about five seconds long which is unusual for me because I have to remember everything for everyone. I don’t like to think that it’s that I’m getting older, it’s just that I have so much to remember.
Last week I got over zealous. I thought I feel pretty good so worked out three days in a row at the gym. That was definitely the wrong decision as it took me the next three days to get over it! But come Monday, I was ready to tackle the workout again. I am going to stick with every other day though.
For a while I even worked out with a trainer once a week but once a week, even though she put me through the paces was just not getting it done. Listening to my body, every other day is what it needs with a little walking or stretches on days I don’t do the gym.
With my schedule, the only way to fit gym days in, is early in the mornings. Since I work late several nights a week usually, I am too tired by the time I get home to even cook. My morning time is usually spent in some quiet time with God. To continue getting that in and work out at the gym, means getting up a couple hours earlier than normal. But it is worth it and my quiet time is a priority. So far, this schedule has been working. Monday morning I even ran into someone I went to high school with at the gym. She has been going for about two years she says and looks great so it’s working for her.
But going to the gym is not enough. I have been eating clean for quite a while but have gotten to the point if I even look at another protein shake or smoothie, I get nauseated. I am eating healthier though and watching what I eat closely. My biggest problem is being able to eat enough. I often don’t take time to eat at work and it is important for you to get a certain amount of calories and there are many days I don’t get that number. I’m working on that as well. Sometimes the baby steps are important and that’s me and exercise. Blessings.
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My take on the last GOP Presidential debate? I think they need a well-informed citizen on the panel to ask some questions and I think the rest of the panel should be non-biased media which these days, we would be hard pressed to find. Do I think CNBC was biased? Yes. When you ask about fantasy football, I think it is time to just pull the plug and try again another day as you know it can only go downhill from there. I’m surprised that anyone was surprised they would get anything different from a liberal media outlet.
But what I really think is why do we have to start so far ahead and spend so much money on these debates? There will only be one chosen to represent the GOP and many voters will change their minds, some more than once before the election.